Teen Book Reviews

Ever since Sophie died, Logan has been a shell of his former self. Stumbling through life, trying to act normal in front of his councilor and friends, Logan is sure that he will never be the same. Until he meets Delilah. She is absolutely perfect - and Logan knows that it is his job to protect her, even if that means finding out everything he can about her on social media, putting cameras up to watch her house, even stalking her... But there is more to Delilah than meets the eye. After suffering with her mother's abusive boyfriend, something snaps, and the next thing she knows, he's dead in a horrible accident that she caused. Having captured everything on his hidden cameras, Logan begins blackmailing her with the footage. But Delilah is done with having her life dictated by other people, even if that means taking matters into her own hands to finally be free...

After being pulled in by the intriguing synopsis, I absolutely fell in love with "The Obsession"! This book is told in alternating perspectives, with some chapters being told from Logan's perspective and others from Delilah's. These perspective switches were perfectly executed by Sutanto's incredible writing style, each with a distinct voice. Not only is the reader disgusted (but intrigued) by Logan's unhinged thoughts and rationalizations, but they are also drawn in by Delilah's morally grey character and shocking decisions - I absolutely loved that each character was complex and never predictable or cliched. I would definitely recommend "The Obsession" to anyone - the writing style was great and each twist and turn is more shocking than the last!

It has been ten years since Jess's mother was killed by the Magpie Man. Since then, he has murdered twelve other women in the same way. And now, after securing a spot on a YouTube reality TV series, Jess finally has a chance to bring her mother's story back into the public eye. With her viewers giving her access to clues the police never had, Jess is determined to catch the Magpie Man before he kills again.

The first thing I'll say is that "14 Ways To Die" is less of a murder mystery and more of a coming-of-age story with thrilling moments. It centers around Jess exploring her grief and trying to get closure rather than her searching for clues, which might be disappointing for readers who were expecting a more conventional mystery-centered plot. Personally, I enjoyed the premise, thrilling moments, and characters immensely, and the extremely short chapters made for a fast read. The reason why I didn't rate this book higher is because some aspects of the plot seemed extremely unbelievable (like the show itself and the "clues" that Jess finds), especially when the Magpie Man's identity is revealed, which really fell flat for me especially because there was no buildup to it or "aha!" moment based on preexisting clues. This book would have benefitted from more in-depth information about the Magpie Man (and really just more clues in general!) and a better tie-up of the loose ends, as many aspects of the plot were left unexplained. Despite this, "14 Ways To Die" is an easy and interesting read that I would definitely recommend to murder mystery lovers, and, if you are disappointed by it, "The Reappearance of Rachel Price" has a pretty similar premise with an even better execution.

This volume introduces more Dragon Level monsters such as Nyaan and their capabilities to rival Class S Heroes. The Hero Hunter Garou is shown to be growing in power reaching levels far beyond his capabilities before. This is shown in his battle against Class S Puri-Puri Prisoner. Saitama encounters Class S Hero Flashy Flash as he goes deeper in the Monster HQ. Skeptical about Saitama's presence, Flashy Flash strikes at him. He is left shocked at his ability to react to his light speed blitz. Flashy Flash remembers Saitama as Genos' sidekick labeling him as a hero.

This is one of the best reactions of the Hero Association's recognition towards Saitama's strength so far, it delivers a satisfying conclusion that more and more Class S Heroes are recognizing his potential. I love the buildup towards Garou's inevitable growth towards being a Dragon Level Monster, being able to adapt more and more efficiently towards any opponent, and looking more monstrous as he progresses. A great buildup story overall for the upcoming big events. The portrayed art style really brings the feel of a difference between power in the manga, whether it be on speed or strength which creates a heavy impact on the characters' own specialized abilities.

This was an absolutely amazing book! In Skyhunter Talin, the main character, is part of a fearless and talented group of soldiers called strikers. Regardless of the pain and sorrow she experiences she continues to defend the country of Mara from the Karensa Federation. However it all seems hopeless, until she meets an escaped federation soldier who changes everything. I really loved learning about and connecting with the characters in this book, and the constant action and tension made it almost impossible to stop reading. Although one of my favorite parts of the book might just be the little mouse. I would definitely recommend this book!
Reviewer grade: 8

Wonder is a coming of age fiction starting with a boy named August. August, who has never been to school before, has to learn the hard way of fitting in. He was born with mandibulofacial dysostosis, which caused August's cheeks and other facial features like the mouth, ears, and eyes, to form differently at birth. When I first read this book, I was so intrigued from the first page, and this book taught me so many life lessons, and that you shouldn't care what others think of you. The story explains August's battles, the overwhelming feelings he encounters, from friends, and family, all while having the trouble of people's reaction to his face. August taught me to be brave and have courage to do things that are new or challenging. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone struggling to find themselves in life, it taught me so much.

This book was very good. I loved the authors development of characters and plot in the book. The romantic scenes were very age appropriate for 13 year olds. I was intrigued by how she explained the main storyline and how the main character came to be.

Marissa Meyer's Cinder is a sci-fi retelling of the classic tale Cinderella. It follows Cinder, a young cyborg mechanic, as she struggles with the people's discrimination against her and her fear of the deadly plague slowly overtaking the Earth. With the looming threat of universal war, and her complicated relationship with the crown prince, Cinder is caught up in political drama, scientific breakthroughs, love, loss, and shocking realizations about her past.

This book deals with heavy themes of discrimination as Cinder is made an outcast for her cybernetic makeup. It also displays themes of racism in the behaviors of the citizens of the Earth and Moon towards each other. Throughout the story the stereotypes of both sides challenged and understanding is established between the groups.

This book was a unique and interesting read keeping the reader invested through every twist and plot point. I would highly advise it for young adult readers who enjoy sci-fi, fantasy, or just classic fairy tales.

Where do I even begin...This book started off in a dystopian world. Where magic existed, underground fights, and a corrupt gonverment. The most compelling feature of Caster is it's magic system. In the dystopain city of Lotusland, magic is not a "free gift." It is a destructive force that draws energy directly from the Earth, causing enviromental catasrophes, like earthquakes and pollution. Worse, "full casting" physically hurts the caster, leaving painful wounds that serev as a constant reminder of what using this power costs. Sixteen year old Aza Wu is our main character, and our protaganist. Driven buy adult responsiblties, a theme that is rooted in the story's Chinese inspired setting. She carries the weight of her family's survival on her shoulders. Her journey isn't about saving the world; it's a personal struggle, to pay off gang debts, svae the family tea house, and solve the mystery of her sister's death. Aza is flawed and often makes reckless descisions, but her loyalty makes her a character you can't help but root for. While the ending can feel slightly abrupt or flat for those hoping a tidy resolution, it perfectly sets the stage for a bigger conflict. The writing is sharp and can make you see the world thorugh your mind's eye, making the tournament duels feel cinematic and urgent. Caster is a spellbinding and pulse bounding read that will leave you wondering, what's next?

The Book Thief is a very emotional book set in Nazi Germany during WW2. The story follows a young girl named Liesel Meminger, who is sent to live with a foster family and finds a love for books, even though the world around her is falling apart. One of the most unique parts of the story is that it is narrated by Death, which gives everything a different and interesting perspective. What makes this book so good is how it connects you to its characters. The author uses creative language and symbolism making every detail important. Liesels relationships, especially with her foster parents and Rudy (her best friend) feel real, raw and deep. There are a few downsides: the pacing is a little slow at times, especially in the middle and the narration could be confusing for some. Death also reveals future events which can take away the suspense at times. Overall, The Book Thief is a very good book that leaves a lasting impact. Its emotional, meaningful and is different from much of the stories about WW2. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or character-driven stories.

I picked up this book because the title made me curious about what happens after the school bell rings, and I know PPLD recommends it often. This book tells a story of ten short sections about different students from the same middle school all walking home in the same direction. I really liked how the stories were funny and relatable, but they also had some deeper moments that made me think about my own friends. My favorite part was seeing how the characters' paths crossed in small ways, though I wish some of the stories were a little longer because I wanted to know even more about the kids! It didn't quite end the way I expected, which was a cool surprise.

An amazing book that was absolutely thrilling, enticing, and heart-wrenchingly emotional! One of my all time favorites and it will always be near and dear to my heart. It's full of adventure, growing from trauma, and making new connections with people you never would have expected. In a whole world of fantasy this book was absolutely fire (see what I did there :) !!!

The Outsiders is a great book for many reasons. One of the reasons is the personal development. The Outsiders follows the story of Ponyboy Curtis as he is faced with many challenges. The action and emotional moments in the book kept me interested the whole book. I recommend this book because it shows how you can overcome challenges just like Ponyboy.

I recently read "What the Woods Took" by Courtney Gould and I loved reading it. Each chapter left me wanting to keep reading and know what happens next. I loved the plot twist with what happens with *spoilers* Hannah. Gould did a great job, in my opinion, building the relationships that the main characters were building throughout their time in the forest, she also did well with Devin and Sheridan's relationship. I think it was well written and the descriptions made me feel like I was actually there. The scenes where the main characters were fighting the mimics and trying to survive were amazing. I loved reading "What the Woods Took" and highly recommend it if you are into thriller books.

Caraval circles around two sisters, Scarlett and Donatella, or Tella. These sisters live on an island called Trisda that their father governs. They also have a shared interest; they both have dreams of seeing the magical performance of caraval, where it is said that the audience participates in the show. During caraval, some go mad, some get lost in the beauty and extravaganza, some simply go for the adventure, yet most go for all three. Caraval is run by the magical caraval master, Legend, who's identity has remained a mystery by most people. The point of caraval is to play with the mind of the people involved, yet it is all supposed to be only a game. Scarlett and Tella fear they aren't able to travel to caraval due to the fact that their father doesn't allow them to leave their island, yet a chance arises when a sailor gives them an offer.

This book was so magnificent. I don't know if I've read a book and needed it into a movie so much. It was a magical experience and although I am now on the third book, and final, book in this series, I do think this one was my favorite for sure. I will admit that I usually get pretty picky about my characters in book, I liked most of them in this one. Overall a great, attention grabbing book.

I’m skeptical of any franchise that feels the need to explore the world of their original, highly successful franchise with a prequel. Often, it adds nothing other than some background that ultimately doesn’t matter because we all know how things start with the original stories. That being said, after watching and enjoying the movie adaptation of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023), I figured I would give the book a shot. Once again, Suzanne Collins broke my expectations with some of the best writing and continued world-building in literature.

Following the rise of the main villain of the Hunger Games trilogy, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes provides engaging and well thought out plot twists that show the reader the specific circumstances that led to the rise of Coriolanus Snow. That I was actually rooting for this kid all the while knowing what he would eventually become is quite a feat to pull off. Foreshadowing aside, there was the same heart in this book that made one empathize with Katniss in the original trilogy. Unfortunately, despite being given the chance to stop the Hunger Games entirely, Snow instead uses them to build his career.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes excels in showing that even among the elite, there is a vast difference between the haves and have-nots. Perhaps this is the whole point: it’s a metaphor for the culture wars we’re fighting to distract us from the class war we should be fighting. Who cares if someone is from District 12 or District 1 if the formerly entitled individuals from the Capitol are basically in the same situation? The trouble is that once someone like Snow has a taste of the good life, he’ll do whatever it takes to get it back.

A rare prequel that expands its social commentary from the original books, I give The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes 4.5 stars out of 5.

I love historical fiction. That is why I loved the book refugee. The reason why it was not a five star is because it was hard to follow all three stories but other than that, it was a great and wonderful book. Refugee helped me learn about the historical event through three different stories. I loved comparing all of the stories and their timelines. Refugee is a very clean book for all teens.

I love Edenbrooke so much, when I read it became one of my new favorite books. The main character is belittled in regard to how perfect her sister is, and she just lives in the shadow of her sister. Edenbrooke is the perfect example of a main character finding her own story. The romance is real and makes you not want to stop reading. The plot is loveable which makes you fall in love with the book. It is simple but beautiful, Julianne Donaldson did a fabulous job.

Continuing the story of the Hero association infiltrating the Monster HQ, the Class S heroes have been shown to demonstrate their value of power against the Dragon level monsters all while keeping a really good dialogue between the two sides. The art style, as always, is phenomenal especially on the fight scenes. The story so far has been so good now that we get introduced to more characters and lore behind the Monster King Orochi's origins.

Divine Rivals is a fantasy story about Iris Winnow and Rowan Kitt, two aspiring journalists who begin as enemies in the workplace but later become much, much more after Iris' letters, who she had believed were being sent to her brother, Forest, who was at war, ended up in Rowan's hands.

Divine Rivals is truly one of the best love stories I've ever read. The world in which the story is set it is amazing, and the book executes the enemies-to-lovers trope perfectly. The words the author used to describe everything are extremely immersive, and it makes you feel as if you're actually in the story yourself. The story itself is spellbinding and heartbreaking, and I am very excited to read the sequel.
The only thing I didn't like about this book was how confusing all of the myths and legends about the war are. Other than that, this book was fantastic. Five stars.

This book is a collection of answers to crazy hypothetical questions. Randall Munroe, a former NASA robotics engineer, that is also a cartoonist explores many hypothetical and unique situations like what if you went swimming in a spent nuclear fuel pool or how many printers would it take to keep up with all the Wikipedia edits? This book is just endless joy to read with its charm and humor. I have read and re-read this book countless times and if you are a nerd that has interest in math and science I couldn't recommend any single book higher.

Hayla Swinton is the funniest gurl in her class but due to her being overweight she judges herself. During a school assembly, they have a talent show where Leo a very funny comedian performs. After that she falls head over heels for him. He is a scholar fit very popular guy Hayla finds out that he performs at his dad‘s family, friendly pub , but he doesn’t know what to perform so Hayla starts making up material and slipping it into his locker. She goes to the open night at the family friendly pub that his dad owns and watches him, little does she know Leo put her name down to perform that night she gets up stage very nervous is going well so far until she sees Leo and her best friend Chloe flirting with him this leads to her getting very embarrassed saying I’m done and walking off stage when Leo’s dad walks up, he reaches for the microphone, but Hayla gives him a big hug. The next couple of days were torture for her and her three best friends got in a fight brcause Chloe flirting with Leo. Leo finds out that Hayla was the one who was writing all of the comedy he wants to reform to be the comedy comedian of the teen comedian of the year. But Leo is just using her after her friends. Telling her this she still doesn’t believe them, but then she sees him kissing another girl after they thought they had a connection. This causes Hayla to also join the teen comedian of the year contest.

I chose to read this book Becuase it shows no matter how you look you can do what you love and I was in the mood for a rom-com because it was very funny.I dint like how fast everything was moving though

Celaena Sardothian is an assassin who is summoned to the council because she’s giving a once in a lifetime chance to become the Kings champion to win her freedom from the work camp she was trapped in for being an assassin if she can defeat 23 killers, thieves and warriors in a competition she will be released from this prison. It goes through many different plot twists throughout the book and a love triangle between the crown, Prince and the captain of the guard. I read this book because I like fantasy and it was a lot of drama happening and I liked that I didn’t like how it ends on a cliffhanger

Five years ago, Wendy Darling and her brothers went missing in the woods. Six months later, only Wendy was found, and her brothers were never heard of again. It's the story that has haunted both the little coastal town of Astoria and Wendy's family. Now, as an 18-year-old ready to head to college, Wendy is intent on starting a new life away from the tragedy.

Unfortunately, her plans are interrupted when children from the town start disappearing.

Naturally, the police link this new string of disappearances to Wendy's case and begin questioning her. But despite their urgency, Wendy doesn't remember anything from the six months she went missing. To add to it all, one day, she stumbles upon an unconscious boy in the woods. Except the boy is not just any boy - he's Peter Pan, a figure who Wendy thought only existed in the tales her mom used to tell her and her brothers when they were little. But Peter Pan is in danger, and unless Wendy confronts her past - plus whatever sinister being lies in the woods, they might lose the missing children for good.

I think my favorite thing about this book is its unique setting: it's realistic, but there's also a little bit of magic intertwined in it thanks to Peter Pan. I also loved the spooky descriptions of the woods and personally think it helped add suspense to the story. The beginning of the book pulled me in instantly, and the end wrapped everything up quite nicely (it also left me feeling a bit emotional). However, the book began to get repetitive towards the middle - a lot of it was Wendy and Peter being tortured, Wendy questioning what was happening, and Peter trying to distract her while also not being of much help. I found Peter's character quite irritating at times (although he was funny), and Wendy herself was kind of flat; a lot of the side characters also felt like afterthoughts. I did find myself rooting for Wendy and Peter's relationship, however; they developed a genuine emotional bond that didn't feel forced, and I liked the parts where they helped comfort each other through all the emotional baggage and trauma they went through. It's also an interesting clash of two completely different worlds - a girl who's legally an adult and a boy who isn't supposed to grow up - although this wasn't really explored much in the book. The author also did a good job portraying Wendy's mental warfare (i.e. her guilt and PTSD from her past), and her character arc and journey to healing were well written. Overall, Lost in the Never Woods was a creative story with a very raw portrayal of trauma (and overcoming it), and although it has its faults, the book did leave a strong emotional impact on me, and I can't say I didn't enjoy it.

This book dives into great detail about the Five Nights At Freddy's universe, telling three short but immersive and entertaining stories in one book. All of the stories follow a similar theme, to be careful what you wish for, find joy in the simple, less than great things, and that if it seems too good to be true, it more than likely is. It manages to deliver the message while still giving the stories their own, sturdy points and plots outside of it.

I had no trouble imagining the locations and characters within this story, and I found them quite relatable. It describes things wonderfully, as someone who has always struggled with picturing what books describe in my head, I had no trouble with this one. While this book certainly isn't for the faint of heart, it is totally worth a read.

Almost American Girl is an illustrated memoir by Robin Ha about her journey to America and her experiences there. I always find it interesting to read about other people’s experiences, but I especially enjoyed this one because of its format. It is graphic novel style, making this a fun, quick read. The illustrations were very pretty and so was the writing! I loved this book, and it gave me a window to someone else’s life that I really enjoyed reading about!

Out Of My Mind is a fantastic book about Melody, a girl with cerebral palsy. Contrary to popular belief, Melody is a very smart girl and has a lot of ideas and things she wants to say, but her disability has, until now, held her back. At her new school, she joins a team for smart people who compete with other groups of smart people to prove they’re smarter. I loved this book so much and even cried at some point. Beautiful story and writing, this was my third favorite read of 2025!

The Court of the Dead is the sequel to Sun and the Star, which follows Nico Di Angelo, son of Hades. Nico’s half-sister Hazel asks him and his boyfriend, Will Solace to help at Camp Jupiter and they get caught in many additional adventures! I loved this book so much! It was such a great book, I love how Rick Riordan writes in general, and this was another great addition to his works! Nico is personally my favorite character in the entire Riordan universe, and I just love reading his character so much!

Rooftoppers follows the story of a girl named Sophie. She was found after a shipwreck floating on a cello case by Charles. When Sophie is threatened to get taken away from Charles, the two flee to Paris. When living in America, Charles and Sophie would often climb on top of the roof to relax, so Sophie did just that, and met Mateo. Sophie was certain that she would find her mother here, and with Charles, Mateo, and her friends by her side, her mother seems closer than ever. This book was very heartwarming (and nerve racking at times) to read, and Rundell develops her characters so well! I loved this book, could not recommend more!

Rebecca. Samantha. Haley. Katie. Ashley. Growing up, Nora became many different girls as she helped her mom con criminal men, learning a lesson from each persona she took on. Now, having escaped that life and her mother, she is living with her older sister, Lee, finally trying to start over and be a normal teenager. But an awkward bank trip with her ex-boyfriend and new girlfriend turns deadly as two bank robbers enter in the middle of their visit and hold everyone in the building hostage. Now, Nora must pull off the biggest con of all: getting out of the bank alive.

I didn't have many expectations going into this book, as I just picked it up for a summer reading program. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked "The Girls I've Been"! The story alternates between the disastrous bank robbery and Nora's past, going through the different cons she was involved in and the different girls she became. This structure was perfect for creating suspense and made it almost impossible to put this book down! Additionally, the writing style was very easy to read and intriguing (despite a few minor typos), and the romance plot between Nora and Iris was sweet and didn't take away from the tension and suspense at all! I loved that "The Girls I've Been" was not only a thrilling story, but also fearless social commentary about the hardships that Nora was exposed to growing up. I would definitely recommend giving this book a try for an easy, thrilling, and meaningful read!

Incendiary is an amazing book meant to capture your attention and keep you reading until the very end. Although this book has some slower parts, it always picks back up within two pages. The story resembles the time of the Spanish Inquisition with a magical twist. The main character, Renata, is a Robari, or memory thief, who is part of the Whispers. Eight years ago, she was taken out of merciless King Fernando's castle by the rebel group of people with other magics like Ren's called the Moria. After her unit leader and love, Dez, is taken by Prince Castian, Renata goes on a journey to get her revenge and uncover the secrets of the war. In the castle, she finds overwhelming memories of her previous time there, having been used as a weapon, along with the thousands of haunting stolen memories she carries with her. Having neglected her own past so long, she has no idea what devastating secrets await her, and how they could completely change her view on the Whispers, and Prince Castian himself. One of the best things about this book was it's originality. The magic and writing are set in ways I have never seen before. The unexpected ending has me anxious to read the second one. This was definitely one of the best books I've read this year.